Bicyclist favors riding with traffic

In response to the letter about letting bicyclists ride facing traffic, a basic understanding of physics would explain why this is not a good idea and the safety reasons for riding with traffic.

Suppose a cyclist is riding at a leisurely 10 mph and auto traffic is obeying the speed laws and traveling the posted 35 mph limit. If the rider is hit from behind, the collision speed is 25 mph and the rider is thrown away from the car.

If instead the collision is head-on, the result is a 45 mph collision and the rider is thrown onto the hood or window of the colliding car.

While the argument for riding against traffic is that a rider will see the cars coming at him, the decision-making time is also greatly reduced due to the higher closing speed.

I will continue to ride more safely with the flow of traffic and keep checking over my shoulder, just as a good driver will keep checking his review mirror.

DANIEL HARRIS

Salida